arXiv subjects

Tsvi Piran

Publications and source records attributed to Tsvi Piran.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

arXiv2001

Gamma-Ray Bursts - When Theory Meets Observations

Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) are the brightest objects observed. They are also the most relativistic objects known so far. GRBs occur when an ultrarelativisitic ejecta is slowed down by internal shocks within the flow. Relativistic particles accelerated within these shocks emit the observed gamma-rays by a combination of synchrotron and inverse Compton emission. External shocks with the circumstellar matter slow down further the ejecta and produce the afterglow, which lasts for months. Comparison of the predictions of this fireball model with observations confirm a relativistic macroscopic motion with a Lorentz factor of $Γ\ge 100$. Breaks in the light curves of the afterglow indicate that GRBs are beamed with typical opening angles of a few degrees. The temporal variability of the gamma-rays signal provide us with the best indirect evidence on the nature of the ``internal engine'' that powers the GRBs and accelerates the relativistic ejecta, suggesting accretion of a massive disk onto a newborn black hole: GRBs are the birth cries of these black holes. Two of the most promising models: Neutron Star Mergers and Collapars lead naturally to this scenario.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Formation and Evaporation of Charged Black Holes

We investigate the dynamical formation and evaporation of a spherically symmetric charged black hole. We study the self-consistent one loop order semiclassical back-reaction problem. To this end the mass-evaporation is modeled by an expectation value of the stress-energy tensor of a neutral massless scalar field, while the charge is not radiated away. We observe the formation of an initially non extremal black hole which tends toward the extremal black hole $M=Q$, emitting Hawking radiation. If also the discharge due to the instability of vacuum to pair creation in strong electric fields occurs, then the black hole discharges and evaporates simultaneously and decays regularly until the scale where the semiclassical approximation breaks down. We calculate the rates of the mass and the charge loss and estimate the life-time of the decaying black holes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2001

Energetics of Gamma Ray Bursts

We determine the distribution of total energy emitted by gamma-ray bursts for bursts with fluences and distance information. Our core sample consists of eight bursts with BATSE spectra and spectroscopic redshifts. We extend this sample by adding four bursts with BATSE spectra and host galaxy R magnitudes. From these R magnitudes we calculate a redshift probability distribution; this method requires a model of the host galaxy population. From a sample of ten bursts with both spectroscopic redshifts and host galaxy R magnitudes (some do not have BATSE spectra) we find that the burst rate is proportional to the galaxy luminosity at the epoch of the burst. Assuming that the total energy emitted has a log-normal distribution, we find that the average emitted energy (assumed to be radiated isotropically) is $ = 1.3^{+1.2}_{-1.0} \times 10^{53}$ ergs (for H$_0$ = 65 km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$, $Ω_m=0.3$ and $Ω_Λ=0.7$); the distribution has a logarithmic width of $σ_γ=1.7^{+0.7}_{-0.3}$. The corresponding distribution of X-ray afterglow energy (for seven bursts) has $ = 4.0^{+1.6}_{-1.8} \times 10^{51}$ergs and $σ_X = 1.3^{+0.4}_{-0.3}$. For completeness, we also provide spectral fits for all bursts with BATSE spectra for which there were afterglow searches.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Light Curves from an Expanding Relativistic Jet

We perform fully relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of the deceleration and lateral expansion of a relativistic jet as it expands into an ambient medium. The hydrodynamic calculations use a 2D adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) code, which provides adequate resolution of the thin shell of matter behind the shock. We find that the sideways propagation is different than predicted by simple analytic models. The physical conditions at the sides of the jet are found to be significantly different than at the front of the jet, and most of the emission occurs within the initial opening angle of the jet. The light curves, as seen by observers at different viewing angles with respect to the jet axis, are then calculated assuming synchrotron emission. For an observer along the jet axis, we find a sharp achromatic `jet break' in the light curve at frequencies above the typical synchrotron frequency, at $t_{jet}\approx 5.8(E_{52}/n_1)^{1/3}(θ_0/0.2)^{8/3}$ days, while the temporal decay index $α$ ($F_ν\propto t^α$) after the break is steeper than $-p$ ($α=-2.85$ for $p=2.5$). At larger viewing angles $t_{jet}$ increases and the jet break becomes smoother.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Remnants from Gamma-Ray Bursts

We model the intermediate time evolution of a "jetted" gamma-ray burst by two blobs of matter colliding with the interstellar medium. We follow the hydrodynamical evolution of this system numerically and calculate the bremsstrahlung and synchrotron images of the remnant. We find that for a burst energy of $10^{51}$ erg the remnant becomes spherical after $\sim 5000$ years when it collects $\sim 50M_\odot$ of interstellar mass. This result is independent of the exact details of the GRB, such as the opening angle. After this time a gamma-ray burst remnant has an expanding sphere morphology. The similarity to a supernova remnant makes it difficult distinguish between the two at this stage. The expected number of non-spherical gamma-ray burst remnants is $\sim0.05$ per galaxy for a beaming factor of 0.01 and a burst energy of $10^{51}$ erg. Our results suggest that that the double-shell object DEM L 316 is not a GRB remnant.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

Gravitational Radiation from Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) are the most relativistic objects known so far, involving, on one hand an ultra-relativistic motion with a Lorentz factor $Γ> 100$ and on the other hand an accreting newborn black hole. The two main routes leading to this scenario: binary neutron star mergers and Collapsar - the collapse of a rotating star to a black hole, are classical sources for gravitational radiation. Additionally one expect a specific a gravitational radiation pulse associated with the acceleration of the relativistic ejecta. I consider here the implication of the observed rates of GRBs to the possibility of detection of a gravitational radiation signal associated with a GRB. Unfortunately I find that, with currently planned detectors it is impossible to detect the direct gravitational radiation associated with the GRB. It is also quite unlikely to detect gravitational radiation associated with Collapsars. However, the detection of gravitational radiation from a neutron star merger associated with a GRB is likely.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Effects of Pair Creation on Charged Gravitational Collapse

We investigate the effects of pair creation on the internal geometry of a black hole, which forms during the gravitational collapse of a charged massless scalar field. Classically, strong central Schwarzschild-like singularity forms, and a null, weak, mass-inflation singularity arises along the Cauchy horizon, in such a collapse. We consider here the discharge, due to pair creation, below the event horizon and its influence on the {\it dynamical formation} of the Cauchy horizon. Within the framework of a simple model we are able to trace numerically the collapse. We find that a part of the Cauchy horizon is replaced by the strong space-like central singularity. This fraction depends on the value of the critical electric field, $E_{\rm cr}$, for the pair creation.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2000

Deducing the Source of Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays

The apparent lack of suitable astrophysical sources for cosmic rays with E > 10^{19.7} eV (UHECRs) is the "GZK Paradox". We argue that whatever mechanism produces them must also account for events down to ~10^{18.7} eV, including their isotropy and spectral smoothness. This rules out galactic sources, distributed sources such as topological defects, and Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs). We are lead to identify the powerful radio galaxy Cen A, at 3.4 Mpc, as the probable source of most UHECRs observed at Earth today, and to estimate the extragalactic magnetic field to be ~0.3 microG.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Cosmic Censorship: The Role of Quantum Gravity

The cosmic censorship hypothesis introduced by Penrose thirty years ago is still one of the most important open questions in {\it classical} general relativity. In this essay we put forward the idea that cosmic censorship is intrinsically a {\it quantum gravity} phenomena. To that end we construct a gedanken experiment in which cosmic censorship is violated within the purely {\it classical} framework of general relativity. We prove, however, that {\it quantum} effects restore the validity of the conjecture. This suggests that classical general relativity is inconsistent and that cosmic censorship might be enforced only by a quantum theory of gravity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2000

A Model of Void Formation

We introduce a simple model for the formation of voids. In this model the underdensity of galaxies in voids is the product of two factors. The first arises from a gravitational expansion of the negative density perturbation. The second is due to biasing: galaxies are less likely to form in an underdense region. One feature of the model is an upper cutoff in void sizes. We calculate the volume filling factor of characteristic voids for different CDM models and find that our formation model points to $Λ$CDM models as preferred models of the power spectrum. A natural consequence of our model is that the underdensity of the dark matter inside voids is smaller than the galaxy underdensity.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Planck-scale deformation of Lorentz symmetry as a solution to the UHECR and the TeV-$γ$ paradoxes

One of the most puzzling current experimental physics paradoxes is the arrival on Earth of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays with energies above the GZK threshold. The recent observation of 20TeV photons from Mk 501 is another somewhat similar paradox. Several models have been proposed for the UHECR paradox. No solution has yet been proposed for the TeV-$γ$ paradox. Remarkably, the drastic assumption of a violation of ordinary Lorentz invariance would resolve both paradoxes. We present a formalism for the description of the type of Lorentz-invariance deformation (LID) that could be induced by non-trivial short-distance structure of space-time, and we show that this formalism is well suited for comparison of experimental data with LID predictions. We use the UHECR and TeV-$γ$ data, as well as bounds on time-of-flight differences between photons of different energies, to constrain the LID parameter space. A model with only two parameters, an energy scale and a dimensionless parameter characterizing the functional dependence on the energy scale, is shown to be sufficient to solve both the UHECR and the TeV-$γ$ threshold anomalies while satisfying the time-of-flight bounds. The allowed region of the two-parameter space is relatively small, but, remarkably, it fits perfectly the expectations of the quantum-gravity-motivated space-time models known to support such deformations of Lorentz invariance: integer value of the dimensionless parameter and characteristic energy scale constrained to a narrow interval in the neighborhood of the Planck scale.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

COBE- and Cluster-Normalized CDM Simulations

We introduce a set of four new publicly available N-body simulations, the most recent additions to the Texas P^3M Database. Our models probe the less studied parameter space region of moderate volume (100/h Mpc box) combined with fine mass resolution (~10^12 M_Sol, roughly comparable to a L_* galaxy), making these simulations especially suitable for study of major large-scale structure features such as voids, and for comparison with the largest three-dimensional redshift surveys currently available. Our cosmological models (LCDM, TOCDM, OCDM, TCDM) are all COBE-normalized, and when possible (LCDM and TOCDM) also cluster-normalized, based on the X-ray cluster M--T relation. The COBE- and cluster-normalized LCDM model reiterates the attractiveness of this currently favored model which does not require the introduction of tilt in order to fit the constraints imposed by observations of other cosmological parameters.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

Cosmic rays and TeV photons as probes of quantum properties of space-time

It has been recently observed that small violations of Lorentz invariance, of a type which may arise in quantum gravity, could explain both the observations of cosmic rays above the GZK cutoff and the observations of 20-TeV gamma rays from Markarian 501. We show here that different pictures of the short-distance structure of space-time would lead to different manifestations of Lorentz-invariance violation. Specifically, the deformation of Lorentz invariance needed to resolve these observational paradoxes can only arise within commutative short-distance pictures of space-time. In noncommutative space-times there is no anomalous effect, at least at leading order. Also exploiting the fact that arrival-time delays between high energy photons with different energies would arise in both the commutative and the noncommutative Lorentz-violation pictures, we describe an experimental programme, based on time-of-arrival analysis of high energy photons and searches of violations of GZK and TeV-photon limits, which could discriminate between alternative scenarios of Lorentz-invariance breakdown and could provide and unexpected window on the (quantum) nature of space-time at very short distances.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2000

Some Observational Consequences of GRB Shock Models

In the internal shock scenario for GRBs we expect some fraction of the energy of the burst to be carried by slow moving shells that were ejected at late times. These slow shells collide with faster moving outer shells when the outer shells have slowed down as a result of sweeping up material from the ISM. This gives rise to a forward shock that moves into the outer shell producing a bump in the afterglow light curve of amplitude roughly proportional to the ratio of the energy in the inner and the outer shells. In addition, a reverse shock propagates in the inner shell and produces emission at a characteristic frequency that is typically much smaller than the peak of the emission from the outer shell by a factor of $\sim 7 γ_{0c}^2 (E_2/E_1)^{1.1}$, and the observed flux at this frequency from the reverse shock is larger compared to the flux from the outer shell by a factor of $\sim 8 (γ_{0c} E_2/E_1)^{5/3} $; where $γ_{0c}$ is the bulk Lorentz factor of the outer shell at the time of collision, and $E_1 & E_2$ are the total energy in the outer and the inner shells respectively. The Lorentz factor is related to the observer time as $\sim 5 (t/day)^{3/8}$. The shell collision could produce initial temporal variability in the early afterglow signal. The lack of significant deviation from a power-law decline of the optical afterglow from half a dozen bursts suggests that $E_2/E_1$ is small. Future multi-wavelength observations should be able to either detect bumps in the light curve corresponding to both the forward and the reverse shocks or further constrain the late time release of energy in ejecta with small Lorentz factor, which is expected generically in the internal shock models for the gamma-ray bursts.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

The Synchrotron Spectrum of Fast Cooling Electrons Revisited

We discuss the spectrum arising from synchrotron emission by fast cooling (FC) electrons, when fresh electrons are continually accelerated by a strong blast wave, into a power law distribution of energies. The FC spectrum was so far described by four power law segments divided by three break frequencies $ν_{sa} < ν_{c} < ν_{m}$. This is valid for a homogeneous electron distribution. However, hot electrons are located right after the shock, while most electrons are farther down stream and have cooled. This spatial distribution changes the optically thick part of the spectrum, introducing a new break frequency, $ν_{ac} < ν_{sa}$, and a new spectral slope, $F_{ν}\propto ν^{11/8}$ for $ν_{ac} < ν< ν_{sa}$. The familiar $F_{ν}\propto ν^{2}$ holds only for $ν< ν_{ac}$. This ordering of the break frequencies is relevant for typical gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows in an ISM environment. Other possibilities arise for internal shocks or afterglows in dense circumstellar winds. We discuss possible implications of this spectrum for GRBs and their afterglows, in the context of the internal-external shock model. Observations of $F_ν \propto ν^{11/8}$ would enable us to probe scales much smaller than the typical size of the system, and constrain the amount of turbulent mixing behind the shock.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2000

GZK Violation - a Tempest in a (Magnetic) Teapot?

The apparent lack of suitable astrophysical sources for the observed highest energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) within $\approx 20$ Mpc is the "GZK Paradox". We constrain representative models of the extra-galactic magnetic field structure by Faraday Rotation measurements; limits are at the $μ$G level rather than the nG level usually assumed. In such fields, even the highest energy cosmic rays experience large deflections. This allows nearby AGNs (possibly quiet today) or GRBs to be the source of ultra-high energy cosmic rays without contradicting the GZK distance limit.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Hydrodynamics and Radiation from a Relativistic Expanding Jet with Applications to GRB Afterglow

We describe fully relativistic three dimensional calculations of the slowing down and spreading of a relativistic jet by an external medium like the ISM. We calculate the synchrotron spectra and light curves using the conditions determined by the hydrodynamic calculations. Preliminary results with a moderate resolution are presented here. Higher resolution calculations are in progress.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1999

Energetics and Luminosity Function of Gamma-ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts are believed to be some catastrophic event in which material is ejected at a relativistic velocity, and internal collisions within this ejecta produce the observed $γ$-ray flash. The angular size of a causally connected region within a relativistic flow is of the order the angular width of the relativistic beaming, $γ^{-1}$. Thus, different observers along different lines of sights could see drastically different fluxes from the same burst. Specifically, we propose that the most energetic bursts correspond to exceptionally bright spots along the line of sight on colliding shells, and do not represent much larger energy release in the explosion. We calculate the distribution function of the observed fluence for random angular-fluctuation of ejecta. We find that the width of the distribution function for the observed fluence is about two orders of magnitude if the number of shells ejected along different lines of sight is ten or less. The distribution function becomes narrower if number of shells along typical lines of sight increases. The analysis of the $γ$-ray fluence and afterglow emissions for GRBs with known redshifts provides support for our model i.e. the large width of GRB luminosity function is not due to a large spread in the energy release but instead is due to large angular fluctuations in ejected material. We outline several observational tests of this model. In particular, we predict little correlation between the $γ$-ray fluence and the afterglow emission as in fact is observed. We predict that the early (minutes to hours) afterglow would depict large temporal fluctuations whose amplitude decreases with time. Finally we predict that there should be many weak bursts with about average afterglow luminosity in this scenario.

astro-ph↗